Finding Joy Series 2024

Original Digital Paintings. These artworks can be ​reproduced in a variety of sizes and surfaces with ​archival materials that rival the look and legacy of ​oil paint.


klimt Inspired 2024

Original Digital Paintings. I have a couple of new ​pieces inspired by Gustave Klimt! His color, ​pattern and compositions are dazzling. I’m trying to ​incorporate that feeling in these pieces.


Statement

My work is about what I see and feel. It is about the positioning ​of shape, color and textures. It is about creating visual joy. ​Sometimes I veer off from this direction but I always return to ​that desire to capture something more than what is in front of ​me. When I begin a painting, I think about each part of the ​scene I have chosen to paint and relive it in hyper detail. I ​consider the colors, shapes and placement of each stroke. ​Sometimes the composition is completed quickly and ​sometimes it is painstaking, but it is always a joyful journey. My ​photographs power my work. Having photography as a base ​allows me to collect ideas all the time. Sometimes I find other ​reference images, like the old films of Ocean City. In these ​instances I might recolor and crop the scene. I am not limited ​to a physical canvas. I can paint anywhere.

Process

Three Boys Saluting

This artwork portrays three figures standing together on ​a beach, seemingly caught in a moment of ​camaraderie and leisure. The black and white image is ​a frame I captured from old footage about Ocean City, ​Maryland filmed in the 1930's. I used this screenshot as ​my framework for the finished painting.


There is a fluid, almost dreamlike, ephemeral quality ​and a sense of movement in the piece.

The seaside setting is rendered in broad, sweeping ​brushstrokes, with an emphasis on the interplay of ​colors—blues, pinks, and whites—that evoke the ​refreshing and dynamic nature of the ocean. The ​figures themselves, are somewhat abstracted and ​faceless, depicted in darker hues, providing a striking ​contrast to the lighter, more vibrant background.



I chose not to clearly define the figures' faces or features to add a ​universal quality to the artwork; it allows viewers to project their own ​experiences and emotions onto the scene. The balance between the ​abstract approach and the familiar setting creates an engaging ​tension, hoping to draw the viewer into both the moment captured and ​the emotions it evokes.


I think one of the strengths of this piece is the use of color to convey ​mood and setting. The harmony of the blue tones with the warm ​accents creates a sense of tranquility punctuated by moments of joy ​and connection. Additionally, the loose, expressive brushwork suggests ​the fleeting, ever-changing nature of both the environment and human ​experiences, enhancing the emotional impact of the scene.


As you view this piece I hope you sense nostalgia and the momentary ​beauty that invites you to reflect on your own memories and ​connections with the beach.




Ladies at the Bar

This artwork captures a bustling ​interaction among a group of ​individuals seated at a bar. When I ​looked through my photos of this trip, ​this image reminded me of the Manet ​painting, “A Bar at the Folies-Bergere”. I ​use a warm color palette, with the glow ​of the interior lighting casting a golden ​hue over the scene. The reflections in ​the glass and the meticulous detailing ​of the bottles, glasses, and other ​elements remind me of the Manet ​painting.


The central focus is on the four people. ​engrossed in their own worlds, ​predominantly interacting with their ​phones, which illustrates a poignant ​commentary on modern social ​dynamics. The expressions and posture ​of the individuals convey a sense of ​introspection and detachment, ​indicative of the digital age's paradox of ​connectedness and isolation.


This piece pushes the boundaries of ​storytelling and emotional resonance for ​me. I like exploring art’s subjectivity, ​interpretations and emotional ​responses.


A Bar at the Folies-Bergere

Manet

Simple Pitted Cylinder Neotenic Vase
Camera Icon
In Logo Blue Vector
Block Style Mail Icon
shopping cart trolley simple logo
Yellow Facebook Icon